The 15 Best Pilanesberg Safaris in Pilanesberg

1.Pilanesberg National Park 3-Hour Game Drive

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 216 reviews · from $49Our pick

Travel from Sun City into Pilanesberg’s extinct volcanic crater for a 3-hour drive in a 25-seat open safari vehicle. English-speaking guides such as Jeremy, Peter, and BY help you spot wildlife, explain conservation, and make the most of morning or afternoon departures.

“The activity was fantastic and the guide, Jeremy, was outstanding. the only unpleasant thing was the poor road conditions that caused a bumpy and uncomfortable ride. otherwise, the activity was worth every penny.”

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2.Full Day Pilanesberg Safari Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 109 reviews · from $121Top rated

Meet your guide at Pilanesberg’s Bakubung Gate or Sun City, then spend about six hours on two open-vehicle drives. Guides such as Tumi and Elvis share wildlife knowledge and radio sightings. Lunch, soda, and a small group of up to 10 are included.

“Animals are the stars of the show. They came out to show off and when they didn’t our awesome guide tracked them down for us Speaking of our guide, he shared so much interesting knowledge especially about the symbiotic relationships of the animals in the park. All in all exceeded our expectations. Lunch stop included is a nice touch.”

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3.Pilanesberg National Park/Sun City Hot Air Balloon Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 63 reviews · 4 hours · from $421

Start before sunrise with an open safari-vehicle ride through Pilanesberg National Park. After a safety briefing, fly for 45 minutes to an hour, then toast the landing with sparkling wine and orange juice. Finish with a full English breakfast and a signed first-flight certificate.

“My bucket list dream was eventually achieved. Was way more than I ever expected. From the start with the pick up to the flight, the champagne brekkie and the return game drive was awesome. Have already told so many friends about it and they are revved to do this. Thank you to the team.”

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4.3-Hour Scheduled Safari Game Drive in Pilanesberg National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · from $54

Travel from Sun City into Pilanesberg National Park for a 3-hour shared safari in an open vehicle. A certified guide such as Tiaan explains animal behavior and park ecology while you search for lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, giraffes, zebras, and birdlife.

“Brilliant experience, absolutely loved it! Thanks to Tian for sharing his knowledge, enthusiasm, passion and patience.”

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5.3-Hour Shared Game Drive in Pilanesberg National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 38 reviews · 3 hours · from $56

Set out from Sun City in a shared open-top safari vehicle for three hours in Pilanesberg National Park. An English-speaking certified wildlife guide leads a group of up to 10, with chances to spot lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and birds.

“Excellent guide, very knowledgeable and good communication. Efficient transfer to and from hotel. Love the smaller group size. Highly recommend”

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6.Pilanesberg Wildlife Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 36 reviews · 12 hours · from $263

Travel from Johannesburg or Pretoria to Pilanesberg in a small group of up to 13. After the 2.5-hour drive, choose an open safari vehicle or closed minibus for game drives around an extinct volcano. Guides such as James and Peter explain the wildlife, with lunch, water, entry fees, and return transport included.

“Nosso transporte feito pelo sr. Jason foi tranquilo e pontual, ida e vinda. Muito atencioso e solícito. Nosso tour pelo parque foi muito legal, não vimos os Big Five, apenas w deles, mas vimos muitos outros animais. E o mais divertido foi a briga de girafas e os elefantes invadindo a rua, passando ao lado do carro e até indo atrás. O motorista Peter foi muito bem nas explicações.”

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7.Full-Day Pilanesberg Safari from Sun City

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 21 reviews · 7 hours · from $104

Spend seven hours exploring malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park from Sun City in a small group of up to 10. An English-speaking guide leads two open-vehicle game drives, with lunch at Pilanesberg Centre and hotel pickup included. Bring patience, since wildlife sightings can vary.

“We have done 7 hour safari and it was awesome. Our ranger had excelent knowledge about animals and tried hard to show us all animals. We have enjoyed the lunch too.”

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8.3-Day Pilanesberg Camping Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 19 reviews · 3 days · from $472

Travel from Johannesburg to Pilanesberg for four open 4x4 drives and two closed-vehicle safaris. Sleep in a powered tent at Tlou Tented Safari Camp, with guides such as Thomas, Petrus, and Dorrin leading the outings. Chef Isaya prepares simple camp meals, while sunrise drives add extra wildlife time.

“3e park van Afrika, met als voordeel dat je veel dieren ziet en ook nog eens van dichtbij.”

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9.Pilanesberg Morning or Afternoon 3 Hour Game Drive

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 13 reviews · 3 hours · from $54

Join an open safari vehicle for a three-hour Pilanesberg game drive from Manyane Gate, with pickup at Sun City or nearby lodges. Guides such as Petros, Desmond, Clement, and Petrus help track wildlife, while the malaria-free park offers chances to see elephants, rhinos, lions, hippos, birds, and more.

“Ambiente molto bello, gli animali si vedono spesso a fatica perché le macchine non si avvicinano. Troppe macchine che si riuniscono velocemente quando viene comunicato qualcosa di interessante”

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10.Pilanesberg National Park Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 11 reviews · 10 hours · from $221

You’ll leave Johannesburg with an English-speaking guide and travel in a small group of up to 15 people to Pilanesberg National Park. Expect a three-hour game drive, open-sided safari vehicle, bottled water, and chances to see elephants, rhinos, giraffes, impala, and possibly lions.

“Très bonne expérience, pris en charge à notre logement, le chauffeur très ponctuel, nous avons eu la chance de voir 4 des big 5 en 3h de safari. Cependant nous avons payé une réservation de 6h dans le parc, le prestataire en a réservé que 3h auprès du parc et nous avons dû quitter les lieux. Attention..”

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11.3-Hour Private Game Drive in Pilanesberg National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $216

Join a certified guide for a private, three-hour open-vehicle safari in Pilanesberg National Park from Sun City. You may spot lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and birds. Guides such as Desmond and Eddy have been praised for clear bush knowledge and family-friendly help.

“What an unforgettable journey with my boys! We had the most epic encounters with the wild, getting up close and personal with the amazing animals. And to top it all off, the tour was seamlessly organized by Moafrika - thank you for an adventure we'll cherish forever!”

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12.Pilanesberg National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 8 reviews · 10 hours · from $248

Leave Johannesburg or Pretoria early for Pilanesberg National Park, about 2.5 hours away. Ride in an open 4x4 with a qualified ranger for up to six hours of wildlife viewing, with chances to search for the Big Five. Transport, park entry, and a light lunch are included.

“Le guide du parc fait vraiment son maximum pour trouver les fameux big five. 4/5 sur la journée, certains ne font pas mieux à Kruger donc satisfaits de notre journée Repas du midi médiocre et très long dans le parc. 1h30 perdue au grand désarroi de notre guide.”

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13.3-Hour Safari Tour in Pilanesberg National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $60

Meet your guide at Manyane Resort near Pilanesberg’s main entrance, then spend 2.5 to 3 hours in an open safari vehicle. Guides such as Edward and Jones are praised for sharp tracking, humor, and animal knowledge. Expect popular viewing points, bird hides, and flexible timing around wildlife sightings.

“This safari tour with MoAfrika was beyond incredible and I definitely wish to experience this again. Edward our guide was extremely professional and etneratining whilst we drove through the National Park. We saw most of the wild and it was a great way to see the animals in Pilanesberg.”

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14.Pilanesberg: Full-Day Safari Adventure from Johannesburg

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $288

Trade Johannesburg for Pilanesberg National Park on a full-day safari with hotel pickup, an air-conditioned transfer, open-game vehicle drives, and lunch in the bush. Guides such as Ben and Kevin are praised for careful driving and friendly wildlife knowledge. Expect Big 5 searches, zebras, giraffes, antelope, and changing odds of sightings.

“Es war alles perfekt organisiert. Der Fahrer war pünktlich, freundlich und hatte an alles gedacht. Die Safari in Pilanesberg war ebenfalls bestens organisiert. Die Safaritour an sich ein Traum, ich konnte eine Vielfalt an Tieren sehen. Perfekt und Kompliment an alle beteiligten Personen. Ich kann die Tour bestens weiterempfehlen und werde bei nächster Gelegenheit sicher wieder buchen!”

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15.South Africa Joburg: Pilanesberg National Park Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 12 hours · from $198

Travel from Johannesburg to Pilanesberg National Park with a guide such as Emmanuel or Sam, then enjoy two 2.5-hour game drives in an ancient volcanic crater. Look for lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and hundreds of bird species.

“Our trip to Pilanesberg Park was an unforgettable experience, and we owe so much of it to our incredible guide, Emmanuel. From start to finish, Emmanuel made the day extraordinary with his deep knowledge of South Africa’s history and culture, his exceptional driving skills, and his constant helpfulness. We were incredibly lucky on our safari! We saw a large herd of impalas, including dozens of adorable baby impalas, which was such a heartwarming sight. Zebras and rhinos seemed to be everywhere, and then came the highlight: a stunning herd of 17 giraffes together. It was breathtaking! The excitement didn’t stop there. We witnessed three cheetahs stalking their prey and, as…”

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